Results Tour of Turkey Stage 7 | Davide Ballerini times it perfectly after rain-hit finale and stubborn late break

Davide Ballerini timed his effort to perfection to win Stage 7 of the Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey, delivering a controlled sprint victory for XDS Astana Team after a tense and rain-affected finale in Antalya.

The Italian surged clear in the closing metres to take the win ahead of Marceli Boguslawski and Tom Crabbe, capping off a day that briefly threatened to slip away from the sprinters.

The stage had looked set for a routine bunch finish, but a late move from Ahmet Orken and Piotr Pekala forced the peloton into a more urgent chase inside the final 30 kilometres. With the pair holding around 20 seconds entering the final 10km, the outcome was briefly in doubt, particularly with rain falling at the finish and adding risk to the run in.

Multiple teams were required to bring the move back under control, with XDS Astana Team, Caja Rural - Seguros RGA and Team Flanders - Baloise all committing riders to the front. The catch was finally made inside the final five kilometres, just as the sprint trains began to fully organise.

From there, XDS Astana executed cleanly. Ballerini was well positioned heading into the final kilometre and launched his sprint at the right moment on the slightly technical finishing stretch.

Behind him, Boguslawski produced a strong acceleration to take second place, while Crabbe continued his consistent week with another podium finish in third. Further back, Mustafa Tarakci and Fernando Gaviria rounded out the top five in a sprint that remained controlled despite the wet conditions.

While the late break added uncertainty, the overall pattern of the stage remained intact. The peloton stayed organised and the sprint teams ensured the opportunity did not slip away on one of the final clear sprint chances of the race.

With Stage 8 to come, attention now turns to whether the fast men can deliver again or if the accumulated fatigue of the week opens the door to a different outcome.